With its unspoiled greenery and rich wildlife, Pulau Ubin is Singapore’s second largest island and a reminder of what Singapore used to be like in the 1960s.

As Covid-19 is running rampant throughout the world, overseas trips are now out of the question. So the furthest “overseas” we can now go, is probably a trip to Pulau Ubin, a popular destination among Singaporeans for outdoor activities such as hiking and cycling.

And nope, you do not need a passport to enter Pulau Ubin.

Recently, I checked out Pulau Ubin, with the aim of doing a 15km weekend run amidst the unspoiled greenery on the island.

My running buddy and I reached the Changi Point ferry terminal at 6AM, which turned out to be an hour too early. We didn’t get onto a boat until 7AM. Apparently there is no fixed time for the Pulau Ubin boats, because they only depart once there are about 8-12 people on board.

The ride from Changi to Pulau Ubin takes 15 minutes and costs $4 per pax.

Once we reached the island, my running buddy and I took a few photos at the jetty, before we began our run.

It has been years since I last visited Pulau Ubin. When I first set foot onto the island, I felt as though I had been transported out of Singapore. The rustic and peaceful charm of Pulau Ubin really reminded me of the simple kampong villages in Malaysia.

Along the way, we checked out a few of the sights and sounds of Pulau Ubin.

These had been as follows.

Chek Jawa Wetlands

Consisting of 1KM of wooden boardwalks circling the coastline and weaving through the mangrove forests of the island, this is a great way to explore the flora and fauna on Pulau Ubin.

Along the way, we spotted a wild boar racing past us from the distance! It was a bit frightening.

Other animals that could be sighted too, include monitor lizards, mud crabs and sea eagles.

While some parts of this running route are pavement, other parts comprise trail. It is not a challenging route though and the uphill and gradients are very gentle.

Jejawi Tower

This is a seven-storey lookout tower that gives you great views of the coastline and the forest. The name of the tower is inspired by Pulau Ubin’s Jejawi tree.

Be prepared to climb endless steps, though, in order to get to the top of the tower. There is no other easy way up. I found myself huffing and puffing by the time I had reached the summit.

Sensory Trail

We ran past this area en route to and from Chek Jawa.

This is a 1.5km long farming trail showcasing the cultural heritage of Pulau Ubin, where you get to see the types of crops that the villagers on Pulau Ubin grow.

Butterfly Hill

I admit that we ran straight past here; we didn’t climb up to see the attraction.

But if you do decide to hike or run up the hill, you will see a conservation area that contains more than 140 species of butterflies including the rare and endangered Dwarf crow species that was once believed to be extinct back in 2002.

Other activities 

Besides what we did during our time in Pulau Ubin, other activities that can be done on Pulau Ubin may also include mountain biking, fishing and mangrove kayaking. While some of these activities are free, others will set you back by a fee.

So there is definitely a wealth of activities that you can do on Pulau Ubin and you will not be bored.

Ending our trip

We ended our trip to Pulau Ubin with coconut juice straight from fresh coconuts purchased from a shop near the jetty. It was a refreshing way to finish off the morning, before we boarded the bumboat back to Singapore mainland.

Besides coconuts, there are also other small shops selling a variety of food and drink on Pulau Ubin. However do make sure that you have cash with you in order to make any purchases, because many of these shops may not accept card payments.

While we may have only spent a few hours at Pulau Ubin, it had been a lovely getaway from the hustle and bustle of mainland Singapore.